Erin Jackson was one of six Johnson Jackson attorneys named Best Lawyer by Best Lawyers in America (2025). Posted 8.6.24
Ryan B. Cappy is the founding partner of the Law Offices of Ryan Cappy, which was recently ranked 60th on the Seminole 100 list. Posted 3.6.24
David M. Gagnon is a shareholder at Taylor, Day, Grimm & Boyd, which was recently ranked 74th on the Seminole 100 list. Posted 3.6.24
Jody Finklea was appointed by unanimous vote to the position of town attorney by the Havana Town Council of Havana, Florida. Posted 1.11.24
Christina “Christy” O’Brien has has become a Florida Supreme Court certified family mediator. With her newly acquired certification, she is further poised to guide families through the mediation process with compassion, expertise, and a deep understanding of the intricacies of family law. O’Brien’s often serves as an appointed Guardian Ad Litem in Lee County. While in this role, she makes recommendations to the court concerning parenting plans that prioritize the best interests of the child. Posted 9.21.23
Erin Jackson has been awarded the 2022 George C. Carr Memorial Award by the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (TBCFBA). She is pictured here with 2020 grad Meaghan Maus, who received the TBCFBA 2022 Young Lawyers Division Member of the Year Award. Both awards were handed out at the organization’s annual luncheon on December 6, 2022. Posted 1.4.23
Rosalyn "Sia" Baker-Barnes, a shareholder of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley PA, was installed as president of the Palm Beach County Sheree Davis Cunnigham Black Women Lawyers Association (SDCBWLA), the first Black women lawyers' association in Palm Beach County, in March. The organization’s namesake is Judge Sheree Davis Cunningham, the first Black woman to serve on the bench in Palm Beach County. Learn more about the organization. Posted 9.9.22
Jason Callahan will serve was as policy and communications manager for Green Diamond Resource Company. Callahan will be based at the company’s office in Shelton, Washington, and handle external engagement for Green Diamond in Washington, Oregon, Montana, and throughout the US South. Posted 4.5.22
Ryan Cappy is the founder of The Law Offices of Ryan Cappy, which was recently ranked 21st on the Seminole 100 list. Posted 3.2.22
David M. Gagnon is a shareholder at Taylor, Day, Grimm & Boyd, which was recently ranked 80th on the Seminole 100 list. Posted 3.2.22
Daniel J. Alvarez is a founding principal and chief revenue officer of Synergy Settlement Services, which was recently ranked 54th on the Seminole 100 list. Posted 3.2.22
Christina “Christy” O’Brien has been named chair of the Divorce, Marital, and Family Law Department at Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. in Fort Meyers, Florida. O’Brien concentrates her practice in the family law arena. Specifically, she handles divorce and dissolution of marriage, custody, paternity, child support, domestic violence injunctions, post-judgment modifications and dependency issues. Posted 2.7.22
Matthew A. Smith was appointed to the Hillsborough County Court in the 13th Judicial Circuit by Governor Ron DeSantis on December 2, 2021. Posted 1.7.22
Wendy Stein Fulton is now a partner at Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass LLP in Fort Lauderdale. She focuses on insurance coverage issues, commercial litigation, professional malpractice defense, and health law. Posted 9.29.21
Serita “Shay” Beamon was was recently named Seminole County School Board superintendent. She is the first Black person and first woman to serve in the role. Posted 4.8.21
Sia Baker-Barnes, along with Salesia V. Smith-Gordon, R.Ph. ('92), negotiated a $2M settlement, well beyond the $300,000 statutory caps on damages, in the Kedar Williams v. PBC School Board case, and made a significant change in the Palm Beach County School District. The district is now requiring a training program for professionals and paraprofessionals interacting with children with special needs, particularly autism, named the “Kedar Williams Exceptional Student Education Training Program." Posted 4.1.21
Angela N. Martinez was named to Billboard's "2020 Top Music Lawyers" list. Martinez has emerged as an adviser to the new generation of stars rising on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm chart and is the highest-profile female attorney working in the genre. Posted 7.28.20
Christina “Christy” O’Brien has been appointed to the Family Law Rules Committee of The Florida Bar, effective July 1, 2020. O’Brien concentrates her family law practice in matters of divorce and dissolution of marriage, custody, paternity, child support, domestic violence injunctions, post-judgment modifications and dependency issues. She also writes on divorce and family law issues and her most recent article discusses “Co-Parenting Recommendations during COVID-19.” Posted 7.17.20
Ginger Boyd is serving on the FSU College of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors for the 2020-2021 academic year. Posted 7.1.20
Rosalyn S. Baker-Barnes was recognized as one of Legacy Magazine's "50 Most Powerful Black Leaders in Business & Industry" for 2020. Baker-Barnes is a shareholder at Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley P.A. in their West Palm Beach office. Posted 6.29.20
Ginger Boyd was named an honoree of the Tallahassee Democrat's 2020 class of "25 Women You Need to Know." Boyd is a partner Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in Tallahassee. She handles a variety of litigation matters including multi-claim and class action litigation, RICO litigation, unfair and deceptive trade practices litigation, real estate litigation, securities litigation, bankruptcy litigation, contracts litigation, foreclosures, employment litigation, intellectual property litigation and general business litigation. Posted 3.6.20
Joseph E. Culmer had a successful verdict in Jane Doe v. David Thompson, Palm Bay Methodist Church, INC, and Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He practices at Culmer & Davidson, P.A. in Rockledge. Posted 9.3.19
Rosalyn S. Baker-Barnes recently completed her first term on The Florida Bar Board of Governors. She served on three committees including the Communications Committee, the Disciplinary Review Committee and the Special Committee on Technologies Affecting the Practice of Law. Baker-Barnes is a shareholder at Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley P.A. in their West Palm Beach office. Posted 8.7.19
Mark C. Reid passed away on August 16, 2018, after battling cancer for several years. He was the mortgage senior vice president lead counsel at MB Financial Bank in Ann Arbor, MI. Posted 8.30.18
John J. Kendron is a 2018 recipient of The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award. The award is presented to one lawyer in each of Florida’s 20 judicial circuits and one out-of-state lawyer. Kendron is a shareholder at Robinson, Kennon & Kendron, P.A. in Lake City, where his practice focuses on estate planning, probate, trust and guardianship administrations. Posted 1.25.18
Daniel J. Alvarez will be honored at the 2018 Seminole 100, a celebration of the fastest-growing businesses owned by FSU alumni. He is vice president and general counsel at Synergy Settlement Services in their Tampa office. Posted 1.11.18
Christina M. O'Brien is now a stockholder at Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A. in their Fort Myers office. She concentrates her practice in the areas of divorce, marital and family law. Posted 1.11.18
Wendy J. Stein is a partner at Bonner Kiernan Trebach & Crociata LLP in Washington, D.C. She focuses her practice on professional malpractice defense, insurance coverage issues, commercial litigation, personal injury and property damage, appellate practice, and health law. Posted 12.11.17
William C. Purdy received a Ph.D. in Education from UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies in June 2016. His dissertation, "Something New Under the Los Angeles Sun: UCLA's Early Years: 1919-1938," centers on the early history of UCLA as the first public university in Los Angeles, the hot new metropolis of the early 20th century. In fall 2016, he taught History of Higher Education and Theories of Educational Inquiry at UCLA. Posted 12.11.17
Rosalyn S. Baker-Barnes was recognized as one of the 2018 Best Lawyers in America. She also was recognized as one of the 2017 Best Lawyers in America and she received the National Bar Association’s Presidential Award. Baker-Barnes is the president of the Palm Beach County Bar Association and a shareholder at Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley P.A. in their West Palm Beach office. Posted 8.21.17
Colonel Isaac C. Spragg has opened Spragg Law Firm in Miami. He will retire from the U.S. Military after 32 years of service in November. Posted 8.7.17
Sean T. Desmond is the 2017-18 chair of The Florida Bar Solo & Small Firm Section. He also serves as the 2017-18 president of the Tallahassee Bar Association and 2017 president of the William H. Stafford American Inn of Court. Desmond is senior assistant general counsel at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Posted 8.2.17
Ryan B. Cappy opened a firm, The Law Offices of Ryan Cappy, in Tampa. His practice is dedicated to serving families impacted by personal injury, including wrongful death, automobile accidents, slip and falls, worker's compensation, and social security disability. Posted 7.5.17
Ginger L. Boyd has been named among the 2017 Class of Leaders in the Law by the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Okaloosa County Chapter. She was nominated for her professionalism, meaningful contributions to the community and commitment to the advancement of women in the legal profession. She is a partner at Broad and Cassel LLP in the firm's Destin office. Posted 5.30.17
Aaron M. Scavron is now chief of staff for County Commissioner Michael Udine in Broward County. Posted 5.30.17